Fossett, Fossett, Fossett, .... is he really that great?

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 14:19:04 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote:

Yes, Lindbergh was the first solo across the Atlantic, but that was just
incidental to his flight. The goal was to be the first nonstop flight
between New York and Paris to win the Orteig prize. The prize did not
require a solo flight.

But the press jumped all over this aspect of the flight, calling him
"the Lone Eagle". It's an aspect that made the flight seem more
adventuresome and dangerous.

Corky Scott

I've been thinking about what made Lindbergh so famous, and so many
other aviation firsts are not. In no particular order, there are a
bunch of reasons that probably also influence other world "memories".

1) There was a competition involved.
2) There was national pride at stake.
3) Others had died attempting the same feat.
4) He was likeable and a newcomer.
5) He was alone.
6) There was no way to know if he was alive until near the end.
7) He had to navigate by dead reckoning
8) The technology was just barely there.

A lot of these also applied to the moon race.

Kev

On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 11:18:16 -0500, Bob Engelhardt
wrote:

Let's hear it for Burt Rutan!!

Well, we have heard it for Rutan. At least people have heard it from
me!

And for Sir Richard Branson, who not only put up the money but turned
up at the celebration in bluejeans. You just can't help admiring a
knight who wears jeans.

But Fossett was the guy in the plane, and he was the guy who would
have had to swim if the plane ditched. No doubt he's a rich
thrill-seeker / publicity-seeker. Nevertheless he did it, so let's
hear it for him as well.


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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....yes...